In Guesthouse Levani I got a pleasing breakfast and with this extra load in my stomach I left Gori. In the evening I had done something with my Garmin (just other tries to bring him back to life but without high expectations, rather fears to bring it down completely) and to my surprise it worked!!!
The owner of Levani had recommended to take the highway because of bad roads in the villages which on the other had would be the shorter way. Now, with Garmin working again, I gave it a try and the first 20km where good roads, but then Garmin sent me to a road where a local in his car stopped me and said it is no way to go there. And as I went on on another road with Garmin beeping all the time I could see on its new born map that both roads would meet after 5km anyway. It is one of those many moments where I wonder why that route-planner suggest so stupid things like dirt roads when the settings are for racing bike and additionally I feel a bit embarrassed that I rely on these gadgets. But then I try not to forget that 90% of the time it works well and saves time as there are so many junctions without signs where I don’t have to stop and look on a map, but just follow the GPS and I also try to remember those routes when the GPS sent me off the main roads and I came to quiet but good roads in beautiful nature.
It was pleasant to have so many water taps and at on I inaugurated the drinking horn that Tko had given to me as a souvenir. I also tried to buy fruits from the man who took the pictures, but he gave me more and let me pay less.
When I later ate them (with Viennese home-made food concentrate) I was surprised by the French-English mixture on a Georgian road sign
And so it was also today. Most of the time the road was good or ok and I had a nice view, for sure better than from the highway. But still the revenge of the GPS for my ingratitude was waiting in the end. When planning the route to Tbilisi I had seen that near to the city I suddenly should have done 500m on 5km and then going down again. I tried to avoid that, but instead of choosing the most obvious way Komoot made grotesque detours whatever I tried. So, I was prepared to take the highway instead of climbing no matter what the GPS beeps. Funnily, Garmin accepted after a while and even showed me the way. And I trusted…
I remembered that there should be a traffic roundabout and there was. And then a street up. And there was. So, I followed the GPS route. But then I extreme climb started, but still the GPS showed directions to the home of Nadia and Mariam (who had been to Vienna last year). As I was early I agreed to try this route as a thank-you for working again. But on top of that climb I should turn to the left but there was no street. Then Garmin “said” confusing things like “wrong direction”, “Go on”, “Go back and then turn right” etc.
I gave up finally and went down all this hard-won altitude, went back to the man road and tried to remember what I had planned in Vienna 2 months ago. And the like did Garmin and “remembered” the route. Again, a traffic roundabout, a street going up and, in this case, even houses looking like in Nadia’s description and the bank of Georgia and the fruit shop. But no one knew the address. It was time to consult the GPS and map on my phone and it was obviously 3 streets too early. Again back to the main street, … you know the procedure.
Finally, I arrived. But still it was hard to find someone to show me which of those houses wold be Nr.2 and so I walked around and – who came there? Nadia ?
She had not got my message, so it was completely coincidentally.
When Mariam also came home from work she took the initiative and said, “let’s go to the center!” Grateful for this initiative I overcame my weariness and we took Matrshrutka and metro and then walked around. M+N bought me some traditional sweets, Churchkhela. I had seen these sweets in a village (where you could buy it every 200m), first I thought it would be dried meat and wanted to buy some from and old woman. But then I mistook it as candles and didn’t buy them. Now I regret both, because I could have bought Churchkhela but also candles from this poor woman. I hope to do better in future.
We visited a lot of great places and streets and crossed the crowded (because beautiful and famous) “bridge of peace” over Mtkvari River, came to the dancing fountains in Rike Park, to the cable car up to the ancient fortress and to mother of Georgia statue with a great view over Tbilisi, went down along the fortress, passing the botanical garden (lying in complete darkness on the other side of the fortress) and as in the end not only I was tired the sisters stopped a taxi and a day fully packed with impressions ended soon. I only made photos when I could not resist as I know there are much better pics two klicks away…
better photos e.g.
http://www.worldfortravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bridge-of-Peace.jpg
or
https://jetsettingfools.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Mother-of-Georgia-Tbilisi-Georgia.jpg
or
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g294195-d4952927-i158314583-Dancing_Fountains-Tbilisi.html